Though the reason for his delay was never disclosed, the Houston Rockets consistently stated confidence that superstar guard James Harden would join them at the NBA “bubble” in Florida in short order.
On Tuesday night, the reasons for their confidence became clear.
In video posted on the team’s official social media platforms, Harden arrived at Disney’s Grand Floridian hotel (where the Rockets are staying) on Tuesday night. He is still presumably subject to the NBA’s two-day period of self-quarantine and COVID-19 testing upon entry, but Harden’s arrival means he will be practicing with his teammates later this week.
Harden was shown working out Monday night on the team’s usual practice court at Toyota Center in Houston. Head coach Mike D’Antoni said recently that both Harden and Russell Westbrook have been working out and staying in shape during their brief time away from the team.
Westbrook’s absence is due to a positive COVID-19 test and the NBA’s lengthy protocols to return. Harden’s reason was never disclosed.
Westbrook said in his announcement Monday that he was “feeling well” and looking forward to rejoining his teammates, once cleared. The league’s 2017 MVP still has plenty of time to get to Florida before Houston’s current regular season resumes on Friday, July 31 vs. Dallas.
As for Harden, his 2019-20 season is just the third time in over 30 years that an NBA player has averaged at least 34 points per game. (The other two were Harden’s 36.1 last season and Kobe Bryant’s 35.4 in 2006.) Now 30 years old, “The Beard” is on the verge of a third straight scoring title.
Assuming he keeps his scoring average above 34 following the eight regular-season games of the upcoming restart, Harden will become just the third player in league history to average at least 34 points in two different seasons, joining Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain.
Over his eight seasons to date in Houston, Harden has earned All-Star honors in all of them while leading his Rockets to the playoffs. The future Hall of Famer was the NBA’s 2017-18 MVP and a three-time MVP runner-up, and he appears poised for another top-three MVP finish this season.
The lone blemish on Harden’s NBA résumé is the lack of a championship. But that’s what he’s seeking this summer in Florida, and the journey for Harden and the Rockets (40-24) potentially started with his healthy arrival at the Grand Floridian on Tuesday night.
